Lightning arrester



Feb. 20, 1934. L. s. BRACH LIGHTNING ARRESTER Filed Sept. 21. 1932 F/GJINVENTOR LEON 5. BRACH Patented Feb. 20, 1934 UNITED .STATES PATENTOFFICE 16 Claims.

This invention relates to the design of a lightning arrester especiallyadapted for use in connection with arresters used by telephone andtelegraph companies. 6 Lightning arresters used by'said companies areusually made up of an assembly of springs arranged in banks in multiplesof 20, the line wires being attached to certain of said springs whichare separated from the ground plate or springs by small carbon blockshaving thin strips of mica therebetween. Porcelain blocks have also beenused with carbon inserts, the carbons being spaced apart by their mannerof arrangement in the porcelains, and in some cases combinations 16 ofporcelain and carbon have been used, as well as other types of blocks.As lightning discharges pass across these carbon gaps, small particlesof carbon are broken off and after a time. the gap is closed so as toground the telephone or tele- 20 graph lines and to temporarily put themout of commission until a repair man takes the carbons out and cleansoil the disintegrated particles of carbon sometimes combined with dustand dirt.

In certain types of arresters, particularly those used at stationinstruments, open air gaps between metal strips have been used singlyand in combination with the blocks as above described.

My present invention is directed to a type of arrester to fit saidspring-type of mountings, but 80 I use in the arrester combination asealed-in spark gap which has a lower breakdown voltage and a moreeflicient operating gap than the types of spark gaps used in prior artarresters to which reference has been made. 7

It is a general object .of my invention to provide an arresterespecially adapted for use in connection with telephone and telegraphlines, whether interior or in the distribution boxes on the poles, orelsewhere, which is more eflicient 40 and not likely to get out of orderas has been described with respect to prior art arresters.

My improvement in this type-of arrester will be readily understood byreference to the annexed drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a plan view of my arrester on an enlarged scaleapproximately twice normal size.

Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an end view of the bottom of Figure 1. t

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a plan view of a modified form of the arrester shown inFigure 1.

Figure 6 is a bottom end view of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a view of a modified form of insula- 1.0mm uanmma mssm beens. Brash, am Orange, N. .1.

' Application somber 21. 10s: Serial No. 034,121

tor which may be used with either one of the forms of arresters shown.

Figure 8 shows a form of insulator and contact plates for use in anarrester having a common ground plate for engaging one of the contactplates of all of the arresters.

In the various views, 1 is an insulator of any suitable material, suchas porcelain, which has a longitudinal groove 2 therethrough to receivea small bulb 3, preferably of glass, within which are mounted a pair ofspaced electrodes 4 and 5. The bulb 3 is evacuated and filled with aninert gas such as neon, thus giving a sealed-in air gap having a verydefinite and positive breakdown voltage, the space between theelectrodes 4 and 5 being arranged to suit the requirements of this typeof arrester.

The sides 6 and 7 of the insulator are formed to receive spring-contactplates 8 and 9, the edges 10 and 11 of which are bent over the top ofthe insulator 1. The adjacent edges of the bent-over portions 10 and 11are provided with serrations 12 to form a plurality of open gaps 13between the bent-over edges 10 and 11. Certain of these serrations maybe used for holding the bulb 3 in position within the recess 2. The gaps13 preferably operate at a much higher voltage than the sealed-in gap20, and thus act as an additional safety factor for the arrester.

I Preferably, the plates 8 and 9 are provided with fingers 14 at bothends, and these fingers are bent over the ends of the insulator 1 asclearly shown in Figure 3. If desired, the insulator 1 may be providedwith channels 15 to receive the edges of the plates 8 and 9 to moresecurely hold W the same in position on the insulator. Also, if desired,the insulator 1 may be provided with projections 16 to enter holes 17 inthe turnedover edges 10 and 11 to further assist in anchoring the plates8 and 9 on the insulator. The terminals for the electrodes 4 and 5 areconnected to their respective plates 8 and 9, or their bentover edges 10and 11, by wires 18 and 19. Thus the sealed-in gap 20 between theelectrodes 4 and 5 is connected in parallel with the plurality of openair gaps 13.

If desired, the insulator 1 may be provided with an extension 21 havingan orifice 22 therein for the purpose of inserting a tool to withdrawthe arrester from its spring-mounting, it being understood that thesprings engage the plates 8 and 9, the arrester being held and guided inposition on the spring by the outwardly projecting parts 23 locatedbetween the respective plates and their bent-over portions 10 and 11.Preferably, the lower ends of the insulator and plates are rounded at 24so as to assist in inserting the arrester between the mounting springs.

In the form of arrester shown in Figures 5 and 6, the two bent-overportions 10 and 11 of the plates 8 and 9 may extend in overlappingrelationship forming a gap 25, and if desired, a mica insulator may bepositioned within the gap 25 to prevent the parts 10 and 11 from beingaccidentally pushed into contact, one with the other. In some cases theopen gap arrester shown in Figures 1 and 5 may be used without the tube3 carrying the sealed-in gap, but in most cases I prefer to use the fullcombination.

In the arrester as described, the outer end of the arrester, wheninstalled, is open, disclosing to view the bulb which is useful for testpurposes, as a voltage may be applied to the line which will cause thebulb to become illuminated, thereby indicating ii the line is completeand that the arrester is also in working order.

It will be noted from the construction shown and described in Figures 1to 7 inclusive, that one entire side of the arrester is of insulatingmaterial which is presented to an adjacent set of edges 10 and 11 asthese arresters are mounted in the spring holders. This preventsshort-circuiting the lines as the arresters are installed, or shortingthe lines by accidental dropping oi solder, small tools, or pieces ofwire, between the arresters., and also prevents heavy discharges fromjumping from one block to another.

In the form of arrester shown in Figure 8, the contact plate 8 is bentover at 26, preferably fitting a recess in the insulator 1 so as to beflush with the side thereof. In this type of arrester, the contact plate8 is adapted to make sliding engagement with a common ground plate whichis sometimes used in certain forms of arresters. This form can also beused with the double spring contact type of arrester, as the shoulder 23on the contact plate 9 will hold the arrester in position between thesprings. Even in this form of arrester, the side on which the bent-overportion 26 is positioned, presents substantially the same advantages aspreviously pointed out for the other forms of arresters.

From what has been said, it will be seen that I have thus combined inone small, compact structure, an arrester having a plurality of gaps, anopen gap and a sealed-in gap, all of which I believe to be new for anarrester of this type.

-I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim is:

l. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, includingan insulatorhaving a longi- ,tudinal groove therein, contact plates mounted 'onopposite sides of said insulator and having portions bent over saidgroove to form an air gap therebetiveen, a sealed tube, positionedwithin said groove, having a pair of spaced sealed-in elec trodes andhaving said electrodes electrically connected to said contact plates.

2. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates mountedon opposite sides of said insulator and having portions bent over saidgroove, the edges of said bent-over portions having a plurality of oppositely arranged serrations forming air gaps, a sealed tube filled withan inert gas positioned within the groove, a pair of spaced electrodeswithin the tube and means electrically connecting said electrodes tosaid contact plates.

,3. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, includingan-insulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact platesmounted on opposite sides of said insulator and having portions bentover said groove to form an air gap therebetween, said plates havingoutwardly projecting parts at places where said portions are bent forthe purposes described, a sealed tube, positioned within said groove,having a pair oi! spaced sealed-in electrodes and having said electrodeselectrically connected to said contact plates.

4. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates forengaging mounting springs mounted on opposite sides of said insulatorand having portions bent over said groove to form an air gaptherebetween, means located on said plates for guiding the arrcster ontoits mounting springs, an inert-gasfilled tube, positioned within saidgroove, having a pair of spaced sealed-in electrodes and having saidelectrodes electrically connected to said contact plates.

5. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates mountedon opposite sides of said insulator and having portions bent over saidgroove to form an air gap therebetween, an inert-gasfilled tubepositioned within-said groove, parts of said bent-over plate portionsassisting in holding the tube within the groove, said tube having a pairof spaced sealedin electrodes and having said electrodes electricallyconnected to said contact plates.

6. A lightning arrester for the purpose de-' scribed, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates mountedon opposite sides of said insulator and extending parallel with thegroove, and having fingers bent over the ends of the insulator, portionsof said plates extending over one side of the insulator and forming aplurality of open air gaps over the groove, an inert-gas-filled tube,positioned within said groove, having a pair of spaced sealed-inelectrodes and having said electrodes electrically connected to saidcontact plates.

7. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates mountedon opposite sides of said insulator and extending parallel with thegroove, and having fingers bent over the ends of the insulator, saidinsulator having channels on opposite sides to receive the edges of saidplates, portions of said plates extending over one side of the insulatorand forming a plurality of open air gaps over the groove, aninertgas-filled tube, positioned within said groove, having a pair ofspaced sealed-in electrodes and having said electrodes electricallyconnected to said contactplates.

8. A lightning arrester for the purpose described, including aninsulator having a longitudinal groove therein, contact plates mountedon opposite sides of said insulator and extending parallel with thegroove, means on the insulator cooperating with means on said plates forsecurely holding-said plates on the insulator, and further means on theinsulator for use in withdrawing the arrester from its spring-mounting,portions of said plates extending over one side of the insulator andforming a plurality of open air gaps over the groove, aninert-gas-filled tube, positioned within said groove, having a pair ofspaced sealed-in electrodes and having said electrodes electricallyconnected to said contact plates.

9. A lightning arrester including, an insulator,

a sealed tube having a pair of spaced electrodes therein, the tubepreferably being filled with an inert gas, said tube being carried bythe insulator, a pair of metallic plates securely mounted on theinsulator and extending along the same in a direction parallel to saidtube, said plates having portions forming along one side of theinsulator a plurality of open air gaps, said tube electrodes beingelectrically connected to said plates.

10. A lightning arrester for the purpose de scribed, including aninsulator, a sealed tube carried by the insulator and having a pair ofspaced electrodes therewithin, said tube being filled with an inert gas,preferably neon, contact plates securely mounted on said insulator andelectrically connected, one each, to said tube electrodes, portions ofsaid contact plates extending over the insulator to form at least oneopen air gap in multiple with the sealed-in gap between said spacedelectrodes, and means on the insulator for use in withdrawing thearrester from its mounting.

11. A lightning arrester including a pair of contact plates extendingsubstantially the full length of the arrester, insulating means alsoextending substantially the full length of the arrester and carryingsaid contact plates in spaced relation, a hermetically sealed tubehaving a pair of spaced electrodes therein forming a spark gap, the tubebeing filled with an inert gas, said tube being positioned between andextending in the same direction as said spaced plates, and having itselectrodes connected across said plates.

12. A lightning arrester as set forth in claim 11, characterized in thatat least one pair of edges of said plates are bent over toward eachother to form at least one open air gap.

13. A lightning arrester for the purpose de scribed, includinginsulating means having a space between parts thereof, contact platesmounted on opposite parts of said insulating means and extendingparallel with said space, means on the insulating means cooperating withsaid plates for securely holding said plates on said insulating means,portions of at least one of said plates extending over at least one side01' said insulating means and forming, with the other plate, a pluralityof open air gaps, an inert gas-filled tube positioned within said spaceand having a pair of spaced sealed-in electrodes and having saidelectrodes electrically connected to said contact plates.

14. A lightning arrester for the purpose described including, insulatingmeans, a sealed tube nearly the same length as said insulating means andcarried thereby, contact plates extending along opposite sides of saidinsulating means parallel to the tube, and at least one having abentover portion extending over one side of the tube to form an open airgap with the other plate, said tube having a pair of spaced electrodesconnected, one each to said plates, and preferably filled with an inertgas such as neon.

15. A lightning arrester for mounting between at least one spring and acooperating member, including insulating means carrying substantiallyparallel mounted laterally spaced contact plates, and also carrying atube laterally spaced between parts of said insulating means and betweenand parallel to said contact plates, said tube being sealed andenclosing a pair of spaced electrodes electrically connected, one eachto said contact plates, said contact plates having portions forming aspark gap in multiple to said electrodes, said tube being capable oftransmitting light therethrough and containing a gas such that the gapbetween the electrodes may be tested by ap plication of a suitablevoltage to the contact plates, whereby the tube is caused to give out 7a glow.

16. A lightning arrester for the purposes described including, a pair ofmetallic plates each having flat contact surfaces extendingsubstantially the length of the arrester, insulating means holding saidplates so the contact surfaces are in parallel relationship, a sealedtube having a pair of spaced electrodes therein forming a spark gap andpositioned between and parallel to said plates and parts of saidinsulating means, the electrodes within said tube being electricallyconnected to said contact plates, said plates having parts forming anair spark gap in multiple with the sealed-in spark gap.

LEON S. BEACH.

